Bam Adebayo's 83-point game is still one of the greatest nights in Miami Heat history, and understandably, Bam continues to talk about it. Anyone who says they would not talk about it like Bam does is lying.
Most recently, Bam spent time on the Makeshift Podcast to "break his silence on his 83-point game," and that's where we got this magical quote:
"I had 83 on a bad shooting night… I would've passed Wilt. People were like 'you shot 43 free throws', if you actually watch the game and not the last minute and a half… I got fouled the whole game.”
Bam Adebayo did have a bad shooting night on his way to a 83-point game
While it sounds incredibly hyperbolic to say you had a "bad shooting night" in a game where you scored 83 points, he's not completely wrong. In his 83-point game, he shot 20-for-43 from the field (46.5%), 7-for-22 from three-point range (31.8%), 13-for-21 from inside the arc (61.9%), and 36-for-43 from the free-throw line (83.7%).
While these are actually in line with or better than his percentages from last season (44.2% from the field & 32.8% from three), his career averages are much better than what he showcased in his 83-point game. For his career, Adebayo shoots 52.2% from the field, 31.6% from three, 54.4% from two, and 76% from the free-throw line.
Many of Bam's shots from two-point range in the 83-point game came from 0-3 feet, where he shoots 72.4% for his career. So, 62% from two is still very good, but he had multiple missed opportunities at the rim that would make for a "bad shooting night".
However, Bam's assertion of "I got fouled the whole game" doesn't need the Basketball Reference deep dives I did for the other part of his statement. He was more aggressive than ever in this game and earned many of the free throws that he attempted.
By the time he reached the fourth quarter, he was either being hounded and hacked by multiple defenders or one of his teammates was being intentionally fouled. The Wizards did not want to be known as the team that let Bam score 83, and their actions showed that.
There's good reason to believe that Bam Adebayo could have passed Wilt Chamberlain that fateful night he scored 83. Here's to hoping he continues that success into this upcoming season.
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